“Yeah,” Amy, Cady, and Pete chorused.

“His parents are rich. They’ll just buy him another one,” Cady said.

“Yeah, but it won’t be that one. He loves that bike. He’ll know we’re smarter than he is. He knows we’ll tell everyone. Amy will have the pictures to prove it.”

Cady and Amy watched as Andy pedaled off. “I have thirty cents. Want to get a cherry Popsicle at Dementos?”

“Where’d you get thirty cents?” Cady asked, banging at her kickstand.

“I snitched it out of Mom’s purse.” At Cady’s stunned expression, Amy said, “I just took half of my allowance early, that’s all. It’s not the same as stealing, Cady.”

“Oh, okay. Sure, a cherry Popsicle will be great.”

They were halfway home, their mouths cherry red, their hands a sticky mess, when Jeff King and Boomer Ward popped out of the bushes and blocked the sidewalk. Both girls skidded to a stop, their feet firmly planted on the ground.

Cady could feel the fear building up in her stomach. What would the two bullies do to them? Knock them off their bikes? Bust up their bikes? Her father would strangle her if her bike got ruined. She looked at Jeff King, then at Boomer Ward. “Don’t you two have anything else to do but pick on girls?” she shouted.

“Shut up, Cady Jordan. I’m gonna cut that pigtail right off your head, then I’m gonna hang it on my bike. There ain’t nothing you can do about it either, so shut up!”

“Knock it off, Jeff. You said we were just going to scare them. You didn’t say anything about cutting off her hair. Her father will put a spell or something on you. I’m going home,” Boomer shouted.

“Scaredy cat!” Amy yelled.

“Who you calling a scaredy cat, Amy Hollister?” Jeff blustered as he hitched up his pants.

Cady put her feet on the pedals of her bike and moved backward and then forward, straight into Jeff King’s fat stomach. He toppled over as Amy barreled ahead. Cady could hear Boomer Ward laughing his head off.

Jeff caught up with her a block away, yanking her off her bike. He reached down for her and jerked her to her feet. Her heart pumping in her chest, Cady tried to kick out, but Jeff held her in a viselike grip. “You think you’re smart, don’t you? Well, you’re dumber than dog shit. So there.”

She saw the pocketknife at the same time she saw Boomer Ward.

“Don’t do it, Jeff,” he said, trying to knock the pocketknife out of Jeff’s hand. “Stop being so mean. She’s just a little kid, leave her alone.” Jeff elbowed Boomer’s arm out of the way and sliced at the pigtail that hung down Cady’s back. He laughed so hard he almost choked.

Cady, her eyes full of tears, lashed out, knocking Jeff off-balance. He fell to the ground, still laughing. She kicked him again and again, but he wouldn’t stop laughing. Winded, she got on her bike and pedaled off, tears streaming down her cheeks until she caught up with Amy.